Distended Stomach “Diet and exercise are the most popular ways to deal with a distended stomach.” However, shrinking a distended stomach can also be done naturally.
Humans will do various things to be free from a distended stomach. For some people, having a distended stomach not only lowers self-confidence but is also dangerous for the body’s health if left unchecked. The fat accumulation that causes a distended stomach can make the body more susceptible to diseases such as diabetes, heart attacks, obesity, and high cholesterol.
Usually, diet and exercise are the most popular ways to deal with a distended stomach. However, shrinking a distended stomach can also be done naturally. Of course, this natural method will be easier to do, but it must be done regularly.
How to
A distended stomach occurs due to increased calorie consumption that turns into fat. Supposedly, the more calories that enter the body, the more exercise or physical activity is needed to prevent the body from storing these calories as fat. Therefore, exercise is an efficient way to shrink a distended stomach.
Apart from exercising, there are also ways to shrink a distended stomach that can be done naturally, such as:
1. Drink Lime or Lemon Juice
Consuming lime juice has several advantages. The juice contains a few calories, so you can fill your stomach without worrying about gaining weight. In addition, this fruit contains a lot of vitamin C which is very good for the body.
The content of citric acid in lime juice can speed up the body’s metabolism, which will increase the rate at which calories are burned. The body will also store less fat at the same time.
2. Increase Fiber and Protein Intake
Increasing your intake of foods high in protein and fiber will help you lose weight by keeping you full longer. Oats, oatmeal, and fruits and vegetables such as avocados, apples, mustard greens, mangoes, guavas, and cabbage are some examples of foods that are high in fiber. As for protein, you can find it in foods like lean meat, fish, eggs, and nuts.
3. Limit Sweet Foods and Drinks
The human body can quickly absorb sugar from sweet foods or drinks, causing insulin levels to increase. Sugary drinks and foods have an impact on weight gain, obesity, and type 2 diabetes.
Better, consume sugar that comes from natural sources. For example, consuming apples directly instead of drinking sweet apple juice.
4. Reduce Carbohydrates
Apart from limiting sweet foods, another natural way to shrink your stomach is a low-carb diet. Avoid consuming simple carbohydrates, such as starchy foods and fast food, because they can increase the number of fat deposits in the stomach.
Choose foods that contain complex carbohydrates. Don’t forget to drink enough water and stay away from foods that are high in salt.
5. Enough Sleep
The less time you spend sleeping, the more likely you are to gain weight. So, adequate rest is one natural way to reduce stomach size.
Sleeping beyond normal limits is also at risk of causing a distended stomach. Normally, humans sleep for 7–8 hours every night. Those who sleep less than 6 hours or more than 7 hours per day will gain more belly fat.
Herbal Remedy
A distended stomach does make you feel unconfident. But, you can overcome a distended stomach in several natural ways.
There are several herbal concoctions to shrink a distended stomach. You can make these concoctions easily at home.
A distended stomach, also known as central obesity, is generally caused by fat accumulation. The reason is consuming high amounts of carbohydrates, cholesterol, and fat without balancing them with sufficient physical activity.
Certain sports, such as sit-ups, can indeed be a way to get rid of fat in the stomach. However, that alone is not enough. You need to balance it by regulating what is consumed.
In addition to the right diet, you can also overcome a distended stomach by consuming some herbal drinks.
Citing various sources, here are some herbal ingredients to shrink a distended stomach.
1. Cinnamon tea
Quoting Health Shots, cinnamon is said to have a significant impact on driving away belly fat. Cinnamon can speed up the body’s metabolic rate, which in turn helps you lose weight.
How to make
- Put cinnamon in a cup of warm tea.
- Make a cinnamon-infused drink.
- Let stand the water that has been infused with cinnamon for 60 minutes, then drink.
- You can add a little honey to enrich the taste.
2. Tulsi water or holy basil
Indians believe that tulsi leaves, or holy basil, can help detoxify the body and increase metabolism. According to NDTV, this leaf is also believed to help you lose weight.
How to make
- Put some tulsi leaves in a glass of water and leave it overnight.
- Drink this concoction in the morning.
- Boil tulsi leaves in boiling water for 10 minutes.
- Add chopped fresh ginger.
- Wait until it boils, and then drink.
3. Ginger water
This is one of the best spices for maintaining digestive health. Ginger intake can help increase metabolism, which can promote weight loss.
How to make
- Boil three glasses of water with 1/2 teaspoon of grated ginger.
- Boil for at least 10 minutes, then serve warm.
4. Fennel water
Like everything else, fennel seeds aid in digestion and the body’s metabolic processes, which support weight loss. Fennel seeds are also quite effective in helping to overcome excess water in the body.
How to make
- Make an infusion of fennel seeds.
- Put the fennel seeds in the water and let them sit overnight.
- Try drinking it in the morning.
5. Fenugreek water
Fenugreek seeds are proven to overcome metabolic dysfunction. Quoting Style Craze, fenugreek seed extract also helps reduce fat consumption.
How to make
- Make a fenugreek infusion drink.
- Put fenugreek seeds in water and let them sit overnight.
- Drink this mixture in the morning on an empty stomach.
6. Rosella tea
Hibiscus or rose tea can help you lose weight. Several studies have shown that rosella extract can help reduce central obesity, overcome fat accumulation, and suppress hormones that trigger hunger.
How to make
- Try making hibiscus tea.
- Put the dried rosella flowers into the boiling water and leave for 5–6 minutes.
- Strain the flowers and add honey to taste.
7. Cumin tea
A study found that cumin powder can help reduce body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, triglyceride levels, and body fat percentage.
How to make
- Soak 1 teaspoon of cumin seeds in water overnight.
- Heat the water in the morning, strain it, and add honey to enrich the taste.
Is it true that cold water can make people fat and cause distended stomachs?
Myth: Cold water makes you fat and has a distended stomach
Cold water can make you fat, and having a distended stomach is a myth that has been circulating for a long time and often confuses many people. To better believe that this statement is just a myth, here is the rebuttal.
Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism and Water-Induced Thermogenesis Reconsidered
According to the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, it turns out that drinking cold water will raise body temperature. That is, ice water or cold water cannot freeze the fat layer in the body, instead, it can help you lose weight. Plus, iced water isn’t just a calorie-free drink. When drinking ice water, the body will burn calories to heat it to body temperature (37 degrees Celsius), even though the number of calories burned is very small.
In line with the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism, a scientific study titled “Water-Induced Thermogenesis Reconsidered: The Effects of Osmolality in Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism,” also explained that the temperature of the cold water you drink will be adjusted by the body, making it impossible to freeze fat. and helps burn calories in the body.
Fact: Cold water is good for the body!
does not make the body fat and distend the stomach; in fact, consuming cold water is good for the body. Here are some facts about the benefits of cold water for the body, cited from several sources.
1. Cold water increases the body’s metabolism
According to a study by Clive M. Brown et al. from the Department of Medicine, Division of Physiology, University of Fribourg, Switzerland, drinking ice water with every meal is enough to increase our metabolism by up to 30 percent after 30-40 minutes. That’s the time when the body works harder to cope with the influx of cold temperatures.
2. Ice water can be an alternative for people who like cold drinks
According to the Healthline page, drinking iced water can be a healthier alternative for people who like cold drinks with flavors, such as sweet iced tea, iced syrup, and other cold-sweet drinks that are high in calories.
3. Hydrates the body after exercise
When you exercise, your body temperature will increase. This body heat will make the body sweat a lot and get tired quickly. To help cool off and relieve post-workout fatigue, try drinking iced water. Consuming cold water after exercising can prevent the body from overheating or having a temperature that is too high.
4. Relieve fever and overcome sore throat
The heat experienced by the body during a fever can be relieved in several ways, one of which is by consuming ice water. In addition, this ice water can also help reduce pain and restore lost body fluids when you have a fever or sore throat.
Risks of Consuming Cold Water
Even though it has many benefits for the body, drinking cold water also has long-term risks that need to be watched out for. According to Medical News Today, several studies show that people with problems of the esophagus or gastrointestinal tract, such as achalasia, should avoid drinking iced water. Achalasia is a rare condition that makes it difficult for a person to swallow food and drink.
Dangers of a Distended Stomach
Launching the Livestrong page, experts have studied a number of the dangers of a distended stomach for health. starting from the risk of diabetes to cancer.
Here’s the full presentation.
1. Risk of diabetes
According to research published in 2017 in the Journal of the American Medical Association, a distended stomach is linked to type 2 diabetes. One reason is that visceral fat can trigger the production of cytokines, which are a type of immune system that makes cells less sensitive to disease. the effect of insulin on blood sugar regulation
2. High blood pressure
Cytokines produced by visceral fat affect more than insulin levels. But it also affects the ability of body cells to regulate blood pressure. Among the many studies linking belly fat and blood pressure, this has been proven through research published in the journal Heart in 2017.
In the study, the researchers collected data from 10,000 adults in China for six years. The results of his research found that a 5 percent increase in abdominal circumference can increase the risk of high blood pressure by 34 percent for men, and 28 percent for women.
3. Heart attack
This risk factor is still related to high blood pressure, which then has an impact on heart attacks. According to Harvard Health Publishing, belly fat can pump fatty acids, which signal the liver to produce more fat and bad cholesterol.
In addition to these studies, a large study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in 2018 also found that adults who are overweight, especially those with belly loads, are more likely to have a heart attack than those who are not.
When the size of the abdominal circumference is not treated immediately, the risk of further heart attacks is also more likely to occur. Based on research published in the European Journal of Preventive Cardiology in 2020, people who have a distended stomach are at increased risk of having recurrent heart attacks.
even when a person has been in therapy to reduce other risk factors, such as high blood pressure and blood sugar.
4. Asthma
Several studies have discovered a link between large belly size and increased asthma risk, even in otherwise healthy people.
The European Respiratory Journal states that high levels of inflammation can lead to asthma risk. The reason is, excess fat in the abdominal cavity can make it difficult for the lungs to get as much oxygen as needed.
5. Risk of cancer
Abdominal fat has been linked to the risk of certain cancers. A study from the European Journal of Cancer in 2016 stated that women with large waist and hip circumferences are more likely to get breast cancer than women with small waists. While in other journals, such as those published by PLOS One, too much fat in the stomach can also double the risk of colorectal cancer.
